MIAMI  It’s a little like the Stephen Strasburg situation. Kinda. But not really. It’s not completely unlike the Mat Latos situation a few years back, too, but only sorta similar.

The Padres have a starting pitcher they’d like to keep around for a long while, a right-hander by the name of Andrew Cashner, the tall Texan who’s gone from a guy bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen to a pitcher who’s quickly entrenched himself in the starting five.

With just as much of a sense of keeping Cashner on track that they’d had in shutting down Latos in Sept. 3 of 2009, the same sense that prompted the Washington Nationals to terminate Strasburg’s 2012 season on Sept. 7 and set off a national firestorm of debate, the Padres are taking somewhat of a different tack in curtailing Cashner’s innings.

Cashner will start Sunday’s game, a day later than his regular turn would have fallen, meaning he also won’t make the last start before the All-Star Game. When play resumes after the Break, Cashner will be slotted into the No. 5 hole, buying even more time for him to both rest and work on specific pitches between outings.

“I definitely think it’s really smart,” said Cashner, who’s compiled a 5-3 record and 3.27 ERA over a dozen starts. “I’ve already got more innings (86 1/3 overall) than I’ve had in two previous years combined (57). I would like to get the ball every five days, but they have my best interests in the plan. This way, by the end of the year, I’ll still be pitching if we make the playoffs.”

Whereas the Nationals set a limit on Strasburg’s innings last year in the aftermath of the Tommy John surgery on his pitching arm, the Padres are mindful that Cashner’s already had two straight seasons disrupted by injuries, a rotator-cuff problem when he was with the Chicago Cubs in 2011 and a lat strain last year, his debut season with the Padres.

“It’s huge, to be able to keep pitching if we’re making a big push,” said Cashner. “Better to space (starts) out now and know I’ll be there later.”

Cashner said a side advantage of the plan is that he can use the extra days to not only keep his body fresh, but to also allow him to focus more practice on certain pitches. When the Padres gave him an extended period between starts earlier this season, he said he worked on his sinker, and the next pitch he wants to hone is his slider.

“With us, and for Cash, it’s the fact that he’s not had a lot of innings in his major league career,” said manager Bud Black. “You can’t expect him to take on the every-fifth-day workload when he started to the end of the season, whenever that might be. Watching his health, giving him a day here or there, pushing him back, is giving him the best chance to grow as a pitcher and stay healthy.

“Moe than anything, we want him to gain that stamina, gain that durability, continue to improve as a starting major league pitcher. We think the best way to do that is to monitor as best we can his starts…We want him the whole year. ”

Cabrera better, Gyorko not

The Padres are awaiting the return of the right side of their infield, with second baseman Jedd Gyorko unable to come off the disabled list when the minimum 15 days ran out Friday and shortstop Everth Cabrera showing signs of possible reactivation during the interleague series at Boston next week.

While the Gyorko was heavily taped and walking gingerly in the Padres clubhouse -- he rejoined the team in Miami from a rehab stint with Double-A San Antonio that didn’t go as well as hoped – Cabrera was opening up his stride in running the bases before Friday night’s series opener against the Marlins.

“I feel really good right now, like I can play,” said Cabrera, who was put on the DL by a hamstring strain. “We’ll see, but I went about 80 percent today and I didn’t feel anything (in the way of pain). I’ll just wait for tomorrow to see how I feel. But I think it’s better.”

In the event Cabrera is cleared to play by medical personnel, he likely will be sent to rehab-start with Single-A affiliate Fort Wayne, which is playing this weekend is playing against Lake County in Eastlake, Ohio.

Gyorko, on the other hand, was rounding first base in his first at bat with San Antonio when he felt a reminder of the groin strain that sidelined him.

“Similar spot, but not nearly as bad it was in Colorado,” said Gyorko. “If anything’s good, it’s that it wasn’t as bad. Until then, it was great. I ran full speed at home before I left, 100 percent, felt great in batting practice and taking ground balls before the game.

• First-round pick Hunter Renfroe of Mississippi State is now the only one among the team's first 19 selections of 2013 to remain unsigned. Outfielder Jordan Paroubeck, the 69th overall pick, and pitcher Jace Chancellor (28th round) came to terms Friday.